One such reactive wall structure is known, for example, from the German Patent Specification No. 2.031.658, and is effective to degrade or disturb the hollow charge jet to such an extent as to impair penetration of the jet. One known reason for this is because the jet detonates the explosive charge so as to generate forces which accelerate the plates of the panel structure forwards and backwards towards the jet, therewith degrading a large part thereof.
In this known protective wall structure the explosive charge has the form of an explosive layer positioned on the inner surface of the outer wall of the panel and at a given distance of the inner wall thereof, so as to leave an air gap between the inner wall and the explosive layer. Since this air gap is important to the function of the protective wall structure, the interior of the panel cannot be filled completely with explosive, which limits the efficiency of the protective wall structure. Furthermore, in the case of this protective wall structure it is solely the outer wall of the panel and the explosive layer affixed thereto that constitute the functional part of the protective wall structure when impinged upon by a hollow charge jet.
Furthermore, this known wall structure will not degrade a hollow charge jet which impinges on the wall structure at right angles to the plane thereof with the same degree of efficiency as when the jet impinges obliquely to said plane.